


Choose Your Own Adventure

by Sdktrs12



Category: Good Girls (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bickering, Breaking and Entering, Cabins, Campfires, Camping, Drinking, F/M, Flirting, Fluff, Hiking, Lakes, Light Angst, Sexual Content, Sneaking Around
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-04
Updated: 2020-02-04
Packaged: 2021-02-27 23:28:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,044
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22554013
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sdktrs12/pseuds/Sdktrs12
Summary: This is canon divergent - after "The Dubby", but before Dean's whole mess.Marcus and Jane attend the same school.They have an overnight class camping field trip and Rio and Beth attend.This is a collection of little snippets from their interactions at camp.
Relationships: Beth Boland/Rio
Comments: 51
Kudos: 283





	Choose Your Own Adventure

**Author's Note:**

> I know I say this a lot with my fics, but guys, this monstrosity was a true labor of love/hate.  
> I started out with a short one shot in mind, and it blew up into 11,000+ words.  
> I literally had to condense it down some or I would've never been able to post it haha.  
> I hope the format/story telling is okay! This is my first time writing something that isn't a multi chapter.

Beth tosses the duffel bag full of money down at Rio’s feet with a huff, immediately stepping back afterward, as she shoves her hands into her zip up hoodie’s pockets. 

Rio just stares at her, eyebrow raised, smirk playing at his lips, making no move to collect the bag. 

Well, that’s just fine, Beth thinks, but she’s not going to stand here and engage in one of his little staring contests. 

Especially with how pissed off she is at him right now. He’s lucky she only tossed that bag at his feet, instead of shoving it into his chest like she wanted to. 

Beth had made _one_ mistake, went into _one_ drug dealers house, and all of a sudden, she needed to be supervised for every subsequent drop. 

Rio had accompanied her on her last four drops, making sure to reiterate, before _and_ after, what a complete waste of time it was for him to have to “babysit” her. 

It was infuriating. _He_ was infuriating. 

He was punishing her--and for how long? How long could he drag this inane process out? 

Especially when--when _he_ had gone back into that house. 

For Jane’s Dubby. 

The how and, more importantly, _why_ had been nagging at Beth since she opened that package and pulled the pink blanket out. The burning desire for an answer sitting heavy in her chest, wanting to force its way out every time they interact. 

But not today. Not right now. Right now, she is turning around and leaving, before she does something stupid—like engage in his petty little game. 

And she does. She turns on her heel and starts marching away, but then--- 

“So, you goin’ on that campin’ trip?” 

The question stops her dead in her tracks and Beth’s mind goes blank for a second because she’s so caught off guard by the subject and the _implication_ behind the seemingly innocent inquiry. 

There’s _no way_... 

Beth slowly turns around, hands still fisted in her pockets, lips pressed tightly together. 

Rio’s not even bothering to hide his amusement, that stupid smirk of his firmly in place as he rocks back a little on heels. “Yeah, Marcus been talkin’ bout it non stop the past week. Super excited bout us goin’.” 

And Beth thinks her body can’t get any tenser, but with that singular sentence, it does. “Us?” She manages to choke out, the pitch of her voice way higher than she would like. 

“Oh, yeah. I’m taggin’ along. Should be fun.” 

Beth’s finding it hard to remember how to breathe normally. “You’re going? On the school camping trip? How?” 

“I was invited and I graciously accepted. You know how much them PTA mommas love me, Elizabeth.” 

“But you have to pass background checks for school functions.” 

“And?” He’s goading her, trying to make her say something he knows she won’t. Beth flushes as her eyes drop to the ground, kicking at the dirt with the toe of her shoe. 

“You never go to these things.” She points out instead, eyes reluctantly traveling back up to his face. She should know, she goes to all of them. 

“You keepin’ track?” Rio teases as he finally grabs the handles of the duffel bag. Beth glares at him. Apparently now that he’s riled her up, he’s decided it’s time to go. “I’ll see you there, yeah?” 

Beth’s mouth drops open as she starts to splutter, hands coming out of her pockets to gesture wildly. “What was the point of asking if you already knew I was going?” 

Rio just grins as he turns away and Beth wishes she had something to throw at him. 

\----- 

Beth had volunteered to car pool for the field trip, since she had the minivan. The school was taking a few buses, but parents with larger vehicles usually volunteered to take on some of the kids to help with overflow. 

The classes were leaving from the school early this morning, which meant Beth was there even earlier. Luckily, Jane was just as early of a riser as her mother. Getting her up in the morning was never an issue. Getting her dressed, however, was a huge problem. 

Right now, Jane’s sporting rain boots with her pink ballet leotard and tutu skirt. It was all Beth could wrangle her into, but she made sure to tell her she would have to change as soon as they got to the camp. 

That would be a whole ‘nother battle to tackle. 

The sun is just starting to rise when other cars start pulling up to the school. Beth is chatting with the vice principal, Mr. Williams, on the front steps of the school, Jane running up and down the sidewalk in front of them, stopping every few minutes to do a Plié or Pirouette. 

Before long there are other kids joining her--Jane, of course, leading the pack. 

Parent’s signed their kids in and left, or stuck around if they were chaperoning or driving. 

Beth didn’t want to admit it, but she’s been keeping an eye out for Rio and Marcus since cars started pulling up. She’s getting more and more anxious the longer it takes him to get here. 

Had he been lying to her about coming? Was that the real way he’d planned on messing with her? 

She’s barely had the thought when she hears Jane shriek and Beth whips around in time to see her running full steam ahead toward Marcus, trailed by... 

Rio. 

Beth breathes a little sigh of relief, a small smile playing at her lips, before she catches herself. She clears her throat and stands a little straighter, watching Jane practically tackle Marcus, as they both dissolve into a fit of giggles. 

Rio’s heading straight for her and Beth fidgets a little, resisting the urge to back up. 

“Yo.” He flashes that wide smile of his at Beth, and _god_ , it’s way too early for this. Thankfully he turns his attention to the vice principal, who hands him the clipboard to sign in. 

“So, you brought that mama van o' yours?” Rio asks, finishing up with the clipboard and handing it back. 

“I did.” Beth answers slowly, eyes narrowing. 

“How many that thing sit anyway?” 

“ _No_.” Beth hisses, hand on hip and the vice principal looks up from the clipboard, startled. 

“Do you not have room for Marcus and his father?” Mr. Williams inquires and Beth flushes as her hand drops from her hip. Rio’s staring at her, arms crossed, eyebrow raised and Beth wishes they were somewhere, anywhere, else so she could reach over and smack him. 

“Of course I have room for them.” Beth forces her tone to be light and chipper, tight smile on her face. 

“Oh, that’d be great.” Rio says, looking smug as hell. 

\------ 

The camp is only about two hours away. Not too long of a drive really, but enough with Rio in the car that it feels like five. 

He’s sitting up front with her, of course, Jane and Marcus in the back with another parent, Lisa, and her two girls. 

Beth has Kidz Bop playing for the kids, Lisa leading them in song, and it gives Beth a great deal of satisfaction to see how annoyed Rio is by the music. 

She thinks about turning it up louder, just to spite him some more, but then he’s shifting in his seat so his upper body is slanted toward her, and Beth holds her breath for whatever it is he’s going to hit her with. 

“You ever been to this camp?” 

And... _that_ is not what she expected. 

Beth exhales slowly as she looks at him out of the corner of her eye. “They use this camp for all of the camping trips. I’ve been every year with all the kids.” 

She can’t help but smile a little as she thinks back on how each kid had vastly different experiences the first time they’d went. 

Kenny had loved every second of it, hitting the ground running as soon as they’d arrived, and not stopping until they left. 

Danny had hidden behind Beth the whole time, unsure of everything and everyone and had taken a lot of coaxing to participate in any activity. 

Emma had been hesitant at first, but had quickly warmed up, doing her best to fit in and seeking approval from every adult she encountered at each activity. 

Beth’s hoping Jane will enjoy it, especially now that she has an ally in Marcus. Beth glances at them in her rearview mirror. 

Jane’s scream-singing along to some Taylor swift song, body flailing wildly, while Marcus bashfully hums along next to her, tapping his hands against his knees. Poor kid, didn’t realize what he was getting into when he decided to befriend her on the playground. 

“This is Marcus’s first time campin’.” 

“What?” Beth turns her head to look at him sharply. “You’ve never taken him camping before?” 

Rio huffs out a laugh at her indignation. “Nah, not really a big outdoorsy kinda guy.” 

Beth turns back to the road, nodding her head. “Yeah, I could see that,” She says, tone slightly mocking. 

“Yah, see, I like the privacy the indoors brings. With...bedrooms and...bathrooms and whatnot.” His voice drops low at the end and Beth swallows thickly, feeling herself flush. 

Her mind automatically flashes to the bar bathroom, Rio’s mouth hot on her neck, biting and sucking as he pushed into her... 

Beth clears her throat, her hands tightening on the wheel. “Well, there’s not a lot of privacy while camping, so I guess you’ll have to deal with it.” Her voice sounds shaky, even to her own ears, and she hates how easily he can affect her and how hard it is for her to hide it. 

“That’s too bad.” He says, chin resting in hand as he stares at her, his gaze hot and unnerving. 

Beth turns her head, staring back at him a second too long, before turning back to the road. “Yeah. It is.” 

\------ 

They arrive at the camp and it’s pretty much chaos, as everyone sorts out where they are sleeping and what activities they want to do first. 

The kids are lined up with their teachers, the parents standing off to the side. 

“So, cabins, not tents? Who decided that?” Rio asks, eyes roaming over the campgrounds, taking everything in. 

Beth snorts, rolling her eyes as she turns slightly toward Rio, so she can discreetly point without being noticed. 

“Karen from PTA—she's the one in all white over there,” Beth tilts her head to the right and Rio follows with his eyes, “And I mean honestly, who wears _white_ camping? Anyway, _Karen_ demanded we use the cabins this year instead of the tents like we normally do. We use them every year, but apparently, since her and her daughter are attending this year, we have to break tradition just to accommodate them.” 

Rio turns back to her, highly amused, and Beth realizes how heated she still feels about it. 

“She went up against you? And won? Oh, darlin’.” Rio shakes his head, full of faux disappointment and Beth bristles next to him. The wound is still fresh from that fight. She’s still mad, and more than a little embarrassed, that she lost. 

“Well, it helped that she’s banging the principal.” Beth speaks softly, eyes darting over to where Karen is standing in line with her daughter. 

“Aint she married?” Rio asks, voice low and eyebrows raised, clearly enjoying this little interaction. 

“Yup. He’s right over there, the one in the hat with the clipboard, sorting people out.” Beth nods, turning her head a little to find Karen’s husband, Rio moving closer, peeking around her to follow her gaze. 

“Aint the principal a woman?” Rio asks, leaning down to whisper conspiratorially in Beth’s ear and Beth turns her head back around, grinning up at him scandalously as she affirms, “Yup.” 

Rio grins back, looking over at Karen with a whole new appreciation. He’s so close it’s making Beth a little dizzy. “Good for her.” 

Beth rolls her eyes as she reaches up and shoves at his shoulder. “Shut up.” 

Suddenly, a high pitched screaming fills the air and Beth turns, quickly, eyes seeking out Jane immediately. She’d know that scream anywhere. 

Beth spots her, cross-legged on the ground, arms folded over her belly, head thrown back as she screams. Marcus is standing next to her, looking on helplessly. 

Beth makes a beeline for them, Rio close on her heels. 

“What’s wrong?” She asks, crouching down next to Jane, but looking up at the surrounding adults. 

“We let Jane know that since her and Marcus are in different classes, they will not be attending the same activities together. She’ll be attending activities with her own classmates and he’ll be attending activities with his own class.” 

Jane pauses for a split second to refill her lungs and then starts screaming again and Beth winces. 

“Jane, sweetie, you’ll see Marcus outside of activities, he’ll still be here at camp.” Beth tries to reason with her daughter, but she seems inconsolable. Beth sneaks a glance up at Marcus, who looks very worried, Rio’s arm wrapped around his shoulder. 

Beth knows everyone must be looking at them now, including _Karen_ , and she feels herself flush hot again. Of course, not only would this happen in front of the whole school, but also in front of _Rio_. 

Now the thing about Jane is—she has a _very_ good set of lungs. And a very strong will. 

In the end, everyone agreed to let Jane attend half the day with Marcus’s class and Marcus spend the other half of the day with Jane’s. 

As soon as it was spoken, Jane’s scream cut off so abruptly, it actually startled a few people. Jane stood very carefully, took Marcus’s hand and calmly waltzed off. 

Beth was horrifically embarrassed. Rio was begrudgingly impressed. 

\----- 

After the cabins are sorted and assigned, they all get settled in. 

( _Rio had teased Beth mercilessly when he’d seen all she had packed and Beth had automatically defended herself._

_Why wouldn’t she come this prepared? You never knew what could happen._

_“We’re not in the middle of the wilderness, Elizabeth.” He’d scoffed._

_“Well don’t come to me when you need something.” She’d shot back._ ) 

Beth made Jane change as soon as they sorted things out in the cabin. There were bunk beds further inside the cabins for the kids, and single beds up in a separate loft area for the chaperones. Beth was paired with another student's aunt, Debra she’d said her name was, overseeing 15 of the kids in the cabin, including Jane. 

Beth rolls her eyes as she takes in the cabin and all of its amenities. Each cabin has ceiling fans, electricity, running water, toilets, and individual showers. Although Beth’s not going to protest private bathrooms and showers, this is not what she would consider true camping. 

Once Jane is done changing, they join the others outside. They all walk to the main hall to attend the orientation meeting. Beth spots Marcus sitting with his class a few rows up from where Jane and her class have settled. 

She sees Rio standing along the back wall and debates whether or not to join him, but then he catches her eye and lifts his chin slightly, and she finds her feet moving before her mind has caught up and then she’s standing beside him, leaving a respectable amount of space in-between. 

Once the head camp counselor takes the stage and starts talking, Beth slips her mini backpack off her shoulders, digging through it to pull out her little pad of paper and a pen, to take notes. 

“What’re you doin’?” Rio asks, laughter evident in his voice and Beth continues to write, ignoring him. 

He doesn’t let it go though, side stepping closer to her and leaning over her shoulder to sneak a peek at her notepad. 

Beth pauses, sending him a sharp warning look, before finally responding. “I’m taking note of the schedule and the counselors and any other important info I might need later.” She turns back to the stage, pen tapping against the paper as she listens to the woman up on stage explain cabin rules. 

Rio reaches over and snatches the pad out of Beth’s hands, along with the pen, and Beth’s mouth drops open as she turns to him, affronted. 

She makes a grab for it, but he twists away and her eyes quickly dart around, making sure no one is paying attention to them. One or two parents glance their way and Beth lets out a tiny frustrated sigh as she drops her hands, not wanting to cause a bigger scene. 

Why is he so frustratingly childish all of the time? 

Rio scribbles across the bottom of the paper and then holds the notepad out, pen resting on top. 

Beth glares at him as she takes it back, wanting so badly to flip the page over and ignore completely whatever he wrote down. But curiosity gets the better of her and her eyes move over the bottom of the page, where he’s written, in his truly atrocious handwriting-- 

‘ **midnight skinny dipping in lake**.’ 

Beth wills herself not to flush, even as she feels the heat spread throughout her body, and straight down between her legs. 

Rio leans in close, his shoulder pressing into hers, his hand hot against the small of her back, as he noses at her hair. “That one’s jus’ for you an me, mami.” 

Beth closes her eyes briefly, a shiver running through her at the feel of him. And then he’s stepping back, moving away from her, taking all his energy and heat with him and Beth’s eyes snap back open. 

She hears him huff out a little laugh next to her and she straightens up, refusing to look back at him, refocusing her attention on the stage instead, on taking notes, on anywhere but him. 

\---- 

After the welcome meeting, it’s time for lunch. There’s a large building that houses the cafeteria towards the middle of camp. Jane seems content to spend her lunchtime with her class, temporarily forgetting her need to be attached to Marcus at the hip. 

Beth sends a silent thank you out into the universe for that, because she definitely needs a break from Rio after the hall meeting. 

She both hated and loved the way he got underneath her skin, knew every button to push to get her riled up, and every single one to push to disarm her. It sent a little thrill through her every time they had one of their charged encounters. She felt _alive_ during them and for a long time after—seen and heard in a way she’s never been. 

It was exhilarating and terrifying at the same time. 

Sometimes she didn’t know how to handle it. How to fully process what was going on between the two of them. Things had shifted dramatically since the bar bathroom and even more so since...the Dubby. 

Beth looks over at Jane, eating her mac and cheese, happily chatting away with the girl next to her, and she smiles. 

Jane had been so happy to have her Dubby back, had even brought it here on the trip with her. _Beth_ had been so happy for her to have it back. 

She’d never told Rio that. They’d never spoken about it. He hadn’t brought it up, so she hadn’t either. 

Beth sneaks a look at him, talking with another parent a few tables down. 

It’s weird seeing him like this. Outside of their normal-abnormal interactions. 

He’s relaxed, playful, in dad mode. 

It makes her heart swell, emotions she doesn’t dare name swirling around in her chest and making her _ache_ with want. 

Beth’s still staring at him when Rio’s attention shifts, like he can feel her, his eyes meeting hers and holding. 

She can feel her heartbeat pick up, her throat feeling dry as her tongue darts out to wet her lips and Rio’s eyes drop to her mouth, darkening as he follows the movement and Beth tried to normalize her breathing, but god it’s so _hard_ when he’s looking at her like that-- 

“Mommy! I’m done, can we go play now?” Jane’s voice snaps Beth out of her daze, her eyes dropping down to Jane. 

“Uh, sure baby. We can go wait outside, but I think we have to wait for everyone else to finish before we can do any of the activities.” Beth explains gently. 

Jane nods, grabbing her tray and standing up and Beth does the same, glancing over at Rio one last time. He’s leaning in and listening intently to something Marcus is saying. 

Beth turns away, leading Jane over to the garbage can to dump their trash and leave their trays. It takes every ounce of willpower to resist the urge to look his way again before walking out the door. 

\---- 

The first activity is a trail hike and scavenger hunt. 

Jane joins Marcus’s class and Beth hangs back a bit, trying to avoid Rio. 

He, of course, immediately catches on to this and falls back next to her, much to her chagrin. 

Each child and parent have a checklist and small pencil for the scavenger hunt. One of the camp counselors is leading them on the trail, pointing out various plants and different types of trees, rattling off various animals that they may see along the way. They pause every once in awhile, letting the little ones find items to check off their lists. 

Jane turns to her with every check, waving her paper and Beth laughs and waves hers back, a “Good job, sweetie.” spoken each time. 

Marcus looks back at Rio every once in a while, more for confirmation he’s there than anything else, Beth thinks as she watches Rio give him a reassuring smile each time. Beth thinks maybe it _is_ a good thing Marcus has Jane by his side for his first camping trip. She offers just enough of a distraction and even more of a comfort from the unfamiliar. 

It’s not until they’re halfway through the list that Beth notices Rio isn’t even looking for any of the items on it, just checking his off when she checks hers off. 

Beth stops in her tracks after the third time she catches him, hands on hips as she laughingly demands that he stop. 

He grins at her as he raises his arms in a shrug. “What? We all lookin’ for the same shit.” 

“That’s not the point. You’re cheating.” 

“Oh mama, don’t tell me you were one of _those_ in school.” 

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” She sniffs, turning and power walking to catch up to the group. And get away from him. 

“Oh, I think ya do.” He catches up to her easily, jogging ahead a little so he can turn and face her as he walks backward and talks. “You was one of those girls, got straight A’s, never skipped class or went out durin’ the school week. Lemme guess--you was even a girl scout, right?” 

Beth splutters a little with indignation as a blush spreads across her cheeks and down her neck and Rio stops, throwing his head back and laughing and Beth shoves his shoulder as she passes him, embarrassed at his accuracy. 

His long legs have no problem closing the distance between them again, and Beth curses her shorter ones. “Ah, you were. Tell me--how far did you go, Elizabeth?” 

“I went the whole way.” She snaps, and then immediately regrets it because she’s just opened herself to a whole slew of innuendoes. 

And Rio doesn’t waste any time, his voice mocking as he bumps her shoulder with his. “All the way, huh?” 

“Shut up. That’s not what I meant.” 

“Nah. I wanna hear more about you goin’ all the way, tho. Tell me, was it straight missionary on a bed with candles lit, all proper and whatnot?” 

Beth glares at him, clutching the paper and pencil tight in her hand. “I’m sorry, should it have been in the back of some crappy car with the first random easy girl who said yes, like I'm assuming yours was?” She snaps back. 

Rio huffs out a laugh as he looks her over lewdly, licking his lips before, “I mean, if your first time was with a girl, I can guarantee it woulda been 100 times better than what you actually had.” 

And...well he’s probably not wrong there, she thinks. 

Her first time had been a total disaster. Not even in a bed with candles as she had let him assume. 

It had actually been in the back of a car. Dean’s car to be exact. Actually, not even his. It had been a car he’d borrowed from his dad’s dealership for prom. He’d tried to spike the punch, already on his way to drunk when he’d picked her up, sloppy and handsy before the end of it all, dragging her out to his car to fool around. And she had envisioned her first time perfectly--after prom, at the hotel room Dean had rented, with rose petals and candles, sneaking in some champagne to calm both of their nerves. 

They hadn’t even made it to the hotel, Dean talking her into doing it right there in the backseat and then promptly passing out. 

She’d had to drive the car back to his house, leaving him in the backseat in the driveway and walking home in her rumpled prom dress, heels in hand. 

And of course, the way Rio is looking at her right now, it’s like he knows exactly how her first time had been, can glean every humiliating detail from her facial expression and body language. 

“We should catch up.” She says, tone clipped as she picks up her pace, quickly putting distance between them. 

This time, he lets her. 

\----- 

When they get back to camp, it’s store and recreation time. The kids have the option of visiting the camp store and picking up a few things and then having some down time, or skipping the store and using the entire time as down time. 

Jane, of course, wants to go to the store and pick out a few things, so they join the rest of the group on their way to the store. Beth keeps an eye out for Marcus and Rio, but doesn’t see either one of them. 

Jane’s ecstatic when they get to the shop, hands touching every single item on the shelves. Beth nixes any food items, since they have to be eaten before returning to camp and she knows Jane will never finish them in the allotted time. 

She lets her pick out a few little souvenir trinkets for herself and her siblings, plus Dean. And she gives into buying a small packet of sour gummies. 

Beth ends up having to throw half the packet away before they head back. 

They still have an hour of recreation time before the next activity, and Jane decides she wants to do some art. Beth feels a little flair of pride at Jane’s penchant for crafts, just like her mom. 

They’re settling into the art room, Jane grabbing some paper and a bin full of art supplies and taking it to their table. Jane hands Beth a piece of paper and then gets to work on her own, pasting random bits and pieces of ribbon and buttons to it, applying a liberal amount of glitter before deciding to add a drawing of her and Buddy outside of their house. Beth follows Jane’s lead, making up a less messy version of her drawing and extra additions. When it gets close to leaving time, they lay out their drawings to dry and then head back to the cabin for a potty break and to change. The next activity is the lake. 

Since the kids are so little in this grade, they mostly just wade in the water and play in the sand, the camp counselor teaching a few of them how to skip stones (or rather, _trying_ to teach them, it’s pretty entertaining to watch the majority of them just chuck the stone in the water as hard as they can, watching it sink immediately). 

Beth’s got her feet in the water with Jane, when Marcus and Rio show up. Rio’s in swim trunks and nothing else and Beth has to quickly turn away so she’s not caught openly ogling him. 

She pulls her cover up tighter around her mid-section, suddenly feeling _very_ exposed in her one-piece bathing suit. 

This is the first time so much of their bodies have been on display for the other to see, and _they've had sex_. 

This whole situation is absolutely ridiculous. 

Jane’s waving Marcus over before Beth can stop her and Beth turns her head reluctantly to watch them wander over. 

Rio’s eyes are already sweeping down her body, taking his time perusing her on their way back up. 

Beth clears her throat as Marcus tumbles into the water with Jane, splashing each other, and she side steps their war path. 

Rio steps in, coming to a stop next to her, reaching out and tugging on the front of her wrap, until her arms drop, letting the front fall open, and he sucks his bottom lip into his mouth as he takes her in all over again. 

“Your face is very inappropriate right now.” She scolds, ignoring how _good_ that look makes her feel. 

“Oh, you got no idea how _inappropriate_ I'm feelin’ right now, sweetheart.” He says, voice low as he steps closer, fingers sliding over the gauzy material of her cover up, tugging at the hem, his knuckles grazing against her bare thigh. 

Jane falls as she’s chasing after Marcus in the water, spluttering a little as water gets in her mouth and Beth pulls herself away from Rio’s magnetic force to help her back up. 

“You okay sweetie?” She asks, leaning down a little to brush Jane’s wet hair out of her face. 

“I’m fine mommy!” Jane turns and immediately takes off after Marcus again, who runs right out of the water and into the sand, Jane on his heels. 

Beth passes by Rio as she follows them out, brushing against him as she does, and he slides his hand over hers, giving it a tiny squeeze before her hand slides out of his grasp as she continues walking. 

Her heart is hammering in her chest as she actively tries to regulate her breathing. She can hear him following behind her, but she refuses to look back. 

\------ 

Dinner follows activity number two and Beth has to wrangle Jane back to the cabin to wash off all the sand and change back into regular clothing. Beth can still feel the touch of Rio’s hand on her thigh, on her hand, like he’s branded her. 

Thankfully, they’re separated again in the dining hall as Jane joins her class and Marcus goes back to his. 

Beth can feel Rio’s gaze on her though and she has to put all of her concentration into focusing on literally anything else but him. She’s not sure how many more of these little moments between them she can handle. 

She doesn’t understand him. One minute he’s hiding business deals from her, and the next he’s (however reluctantly) agreeing to a partnership with her. He’s acting impressed with how well she’s handling business, but still burying her in work. He’s yelling at her, furious with her, for going back into that drug house, and then he’s going back in himself to retrieve Jane’s Dubby. And now, he’s casual and flirty, teasing and touching her every chance he gets. 

It’s making her head spin. 

After dinner is a skit in the main hall and then a campfire. 

All Beth wants to do is hide in their cabin. 

Unfortunately, she has to help corral the children to the main hall and then from the main hall to the campfire, so she can’t get out of either. 

The skit is performed by the camp counselors and a few of the teachers, and it involves a lot of singing and dancing that the kids absolutely love. 

Once the skit is over, they head out to the giant fire pit on the outskirts of camp. The sun is setting and it’s already getting a little chillier. Jane insists on stopping by the cabin and grabbing her Dubby, wrapping it around herself as they head to the pit. They’ve already got the fire going, various logs and chairs scattered about for the kids and adults to sit on. 

Beth’s just settled in on a giant log next to Jane when Rio plops down next to her, Marcus rounding the other side to scooch in next to Jane. 

Beth sees the exact moment Rio clocks the blanket, sees the recognition and surprise cross his face before he turns to her. She desperately wants to say something, _anything_ , her lips parting in anticipation--but nothing comes out. 

“We’re going to make s’mores.” Marcus proclaims excitedly, grabbing everyone's attention and Jane nods enthusiastically next to him. 

Beth lets out a little sigh as the moment passes. She tries to discreetly shift further away from Rio, but more kids pile onto the other side of Marcus, so she has nowhere else to go. 

Beth pulls her bag off of her shoulders, digging through it to find her bug spray. Her eyebrows furrow as she mutters under her breath, the low light making it difficult to see anything. 

“What’re you lookin’ for?” Rio asks, leaning over into her space yet again, to glance inside her bag. 

“Bug spray. I know I have some here somewhere...” She trails off, thinking back to when she packed, trying to remember if she did, in fact, pack it... 

“Huh, bug spray like...this?” Rio holds up a tiny canister of spray, shaking it a little as Beth straightens up and glares at him. 

“Where did you get that?” She asks, because she just _knows_ he didn’t pack it. 

“Bought it at the shop earlier.” 

Beth reluctantly holds her hand out. “Can I use some?” 

“But what was that you were sayin’ bout how I shouldn’t come to you for nothin’ earlier...” His face is too smug and she reaches out and tries to snatch it out of his hand, but he yanks it away. “Nuh uh. I give you this...you give me that swim.” He drops his voice low on the last part, so only she can hear and Beth flushes as she sucks in a breath. 

He’s looking at her, eyebrow raised, challenging her to accept, and she almost does. 

Beth looks right at him as she says, “Jane, can you ask Mr. Rio if he’ll share his bug spray?” 

Jane dutifully leans around her mother to peek over at Rio, doing just that, as Rio huffs out a disbelieving laugh. Rio hands it over to Jane, who automatically gives it to Beth. 

Rio shakes his head at her as she smiles triumphantly. “You don’t play fair, ma.” 

Beth shrugs as she sprays Jane and Marcus first and then herself. 

She holds the canister out to Rio, who doesn’t make a move to take it. “What, not gonna do me too?” 

Beth rolls her eyes and lays it down on the log between (not that there’s much room to even do that). 

Rio grins at her, picking it up and applying it as Beth watches. She resists the urge to reach over and rub some onto his arms, to press her fingers into those black bars lining the back of them. 

The head camp counselor comes up and starts settling the crowd down, talking about making s’mores and telling campfire stories, and then rounding off the night with flashlight tag, for those who can manage to stay up. 

Beth glances down at Jane who is already curling up into her side. Beth doesn’t think she’s going to last that long. 

And she’s right. Jane makes it through the s’mores and one story, before she’s out like a light. 

Most of the other kids start yawning and rubbing their eyes soon after, and Beth carefully gathers Jane up in her arms, the Dubby slipping down as she fumbles to stop it. And Rio’s reaching out, catching it before it hits the ground, standing up to situate it over Jane’s shoulders, tuck it in around her tiny body. And there’s something about seeing his strong rough hands tangled in her daughter's soft pink blanket that leaves her completely breathless. 

“Thank you.” Beth mouths, not wanting to wake Jane and Rio nods his head before sitting back down, closer to Marcus. 

Beth and Debra gather up the rest of the kids in their bunk, lining them up and leading them back to the cabin to get settled into bed. 

Beth steals one last glance back at Rio as they’re leaving, finding him watching her—he's _always_ watching her. Marcus is reaching his arms up to wrap around Rio’s neck, and it looks like they’ll be heading back to their cabin soon too. 

Seeing him, glowing in the campfire light, Marcus in his arms... 

_God_ , she wishes things weren’t so complicated between them, their shared history weighing heavy between them, bringing everything else down with it. 

\----- 

Beth can’t fall asleep. She is wide awake and jittery. 

This is all Rio’s fault. 

He got inside her head and now she can’t get him out. 

Beth checks the time on her phone. 11:58 pm. 

She bites at her bottom lip, shifting onto her side. Debra is fast asleep, as are all the kids in the cabin, everything eerily quiet. 

He’d mentioned the lake _twice_. Had he been serious about it? Would he be out there at midnight, waiting for her to show up? Or, what if she did show up at midnight, and he had no intention of being there because he’d just been messing around with her? 

Beth lets out a long frustrated sigh. Why was everything with him so damn ambiguous? 

Beth checks the time on her phone again. Midnight. Beth stares at her phone intently, holding her breath until... 

12:01. 

She lets all the air out in a quiet whoosh. She’s not quite sure what she expected, but it feels like some of the anxiety has abated. 

She puts her phone down again, shifting onto her back again, staring up at the ceiling. 

Maybe now she can get some sleep. Beth closes her eyes, trying to concentrate on relaxing, but her body just feels even more tense, thinking about Rio in his swim trunks, grabbing her hand... 

There’s a sudden sharp noise at the window that causes Beth’s eyes to snap open. 

She lays quietly still, listening intently. Had she imagined it? Was she so sleep deprived she was hearing things? 

But no, there it was again--a sharp clanking sound against the window. Beth sits up and glances over at the window between her bed and Debra’s. Debra is still fast asleep as Beth throws her sheet back and slips out of bed. She shuffles over to the window, looking out and her mouth drops when she sees Rio standing down below, tiny little pebbles in his hand. 

He grins up at her and tilts his head, motioning for her to come outside. 

Beth thinks her heart stops beating for a minute as she takes him in, looking unfairly beautiful in the moonlight, the light catching those sharp cheekbones and god, how can one man be so gorgeous? 

Beth holds a finger up and then backs away from the window, sitting down hard on her bed. 

Was she really going to sneak out to meet him? 

Oh god, was he actually serious about skinny dipping? 

This was such a bad idea. 

Beth runs down the, _extensive_ , list of all the reasons she should open the window and tell him to go back to his cabin. 

And then she runs down the, relatively short, list of reasons she should join him. 

And no matter how long the “don’t” list is, the “do” list carries more weight, it _means_ more, even if it is full of selfish reasons. 

Beth runs her fingers through her hair a few times, swiping at her eyes as well, before rummaging through her suitcase for her mini flashlight and her zip up hoodie. She throws the hoodie on over her pajamas and toes into her slippers before quietly shuffling out of the room and stepping down the ladder from the loft to the bottom floor. 

Beth pauses in the middle of the room, her eyes automatically going to Jane’s bunk, where she can barely make out her tiny form underneath her blanket. 

Beth takes a deep breath in and lets it out. She could turn right back around now. 

Her mind and her body are fighting, but really, they’re both on the same side anyway, her mind just _thinks_ she should be putting up a fight before eventually giving in. 

And she does. She tip toes as quietly as she can, practically holding her breath until she’s cleared the door. 

And then Beth goes to meet Rio. 

\----- 

Rio’s not around the back of the cabin when she gets there, and for a split second she thinks maybe she took too long and he gave up on her. 

Or maybe... 

Beth turns and starts walking the path toward the lake, stumbling a little in the dark, glancing around to make sure that no one else is out an about. She has a feeling sneaking around in the middle of the night is strongly discouraged here. 

She makes sure to keep her flashlight pointed down low, so she doesn’t attract any attention. 

Her eyes have adjusted to the dark by the time she gets close to the lake, and she pauses where the grass gives way to sand, eyes scanning the area. 

Her heart skips a beat when she sees the outline of his form, standing at the docks, looking out at the water. 

Beth finds herself walking toward him slowly, her body drawn to him like a magnet, unable to resist. He’s wearing a pullover hoodie and jeans, hands shoved into his hoodie pocket. He doesn’t turn the closer she gets, and she wonders how he always knows when it’s her. 

“What are you doing out here?” Beth keeps her voice low, not wanting to disrupt the quiet stillness of the night. 

Rio turns his head to look at her, eyes traveling over her face and body and Beth resists the urge to cross her arms over her chest. She’s not in her swimsuit anymore, but she feels just as exposed as she did then. 

“What, haven’t you ever snuck out at night? Met up with friends? Broke some rules?” He pulls one hand out of his hoodie pocket and Beth sees he’s holding a small flask, which he brings up and tips toward her, in offering. 

“You brought a _flask_ on a school camping trip?” She asks, exasperated. 

“You didn’t?” He grins at her as he takes his other hand out to unscrew the top, taking a long swig from it. Beth rolls her eyes as she looks out toward the lake, grip tightening on her flashlight at her side. 

“Alcohol is against the rules. They kick you out of camp for that.” She points out, but she’s finding it hard to really care. 

Rio hums as he looks her over again, smile playing at his lips. “Yeah, bet you never done anythin’ illegal in your life before that grocery store, huh?” 

Beth’s hackles rise, feeling defensive, and embarrassed, about her past once again. She lifts her chin as she turns fully to face him, and he mimics her. “For your information, I stole my parent's car once.” 

“Oh, big rebel huh? Lemme guess--you was meetin’ up with your boyfriend. Parkin’ and lettin’ ‘im cop a feel?” Rio smirks down at her and Beth suddenly realizes just how close they’re standing to each other, she can practically feel his body heat, can smell the alcohol on his breath. 

“Give me that.” She huffs, grabbing the flask from his hand and bringing it up to her lips, taking a tentative sip. She screws up her face a little as she swallows. 

Vodka. 

Rio chuckles as he reaches for it, but Beth pulls away, taking another longer drink, and he looks suitably impressed this time. 

Beth hands it back to him as she turns back to the lake, feeling the warmth from the vodka slowly spread throughout her body. 

Beth breathes in deep, the salty night air filling her lungs. She kicks off her slippers, leaning down to roll up the bottoms of her pajamas, before easing down onto the edge of the dock, slowly dipping her feet into the chilly water. 

Beth doesn’t bother looking to Rio to see if he’ll follow, just clicks the flashlight off and sets it down next to her, closing her eyes as her hands grasp the edge of the dock, feet swaying through the water, sending it lapping up gently against her legs. 

She feels him sit down next to her, so close his arm brushes against hers, because it seems impossible for him to implement personal boundaries when it comes to her. She doesn’t open her eyes but she can feel the water ripple as he sticks his feet in too and Beth smiles as she tilts her head back a little, feeling a slight breeze on her face. 

Rio nudges her and Beth opens her eyes, turns her head to see him offering the flask, and she takes it. 

She takes a few sips as she thinks about the surrealness of this whole situation. 

Were they really sitting here, barefoot, on this dock together, sharing this drink and just...enjoying each other's company? No fighting? No tension? 

Well, not the angry kind of tension anyway. 

Beth wonders how they’d reached this point. 

When, exactly, had they started feeling so comfortable with each other? When had they decided meeting for drops alone was acceptable? Negotiating business deals alone was the new normal? When had things shifted, changed, become easier and harder all at once? 

She wants to ask him, demand answers to questions she knows she’ll never get. 

Beth can feel the alcohol loosening her nicely, and she hands the flask back to him so she can lean back on her hands, head rolling back to look up at the sky. 

It’s so quiet and calm out here. 

“So, you ready for that swim?” 

Beth lets out a laugh, louder than she intended and she quickly quiets herself as she brings her head down to look at Rio, who’s grinning back at her. 

“This is the most you're going to get out of me.” Beth says, bringing one hand up to gesture down at her feet in the water. 

“Aw, c’mon sweetheart,” He shifts, leaning in close to her and Beth almost falls back, but steadies herself at the last second, “Break some rules. It'll be fun, I promise.” 

His face is _so_ close to hers, and Beth can feel her breaths coming in short and quick, her need to reach out and touch him overwhelming. 

“I’m not having sex in that water. It’s filthy.” She breathes out, and then her hand is coming up and grabbing the back of his neck, and she thinks she must catch him off guard because he falls into her a little, his hand dropping the flask as it comes down on the other side of her body to hold himself up as her lips just barely brush against his. 

And just that tiny kiss is electric, shooting bolts of pleasure through her veins, sending warm heat down low. 

She wants to kiss him again, is just about to lean forward again, but he beats her to it, impatient with how long she’s taking, lips crashing against hers, body leaning heavily against hers and she has to push herself up so she doesn’t fall back against the dock. 

They just kiss for what seems like a long stretch of time, hands grasping at each other as their lips meet and part, again and again. 

And then Beth slips her hand under Rio’s sweater, under his shirt, fingers pressing into his back and Rio groans as he pulls away, yanking her further up onto the dock, pulling them both out and away from the water, from the edge, and Beth lands heavily on her back as he presses down onto her and the dock is hard and uncomfortable against her back, but _god_ he feels divine on top of her, so she ignores the discomfort and pulls him closer, legs falling open so he can slip between them and she gasps against his mouth as she feels his hard length push against her soft heat through their clothing. 

Another light breeze sweeps through, cooling her hot skin and reminding her they are in fact outside, out in the open, where anyone can see them. 

Beth pulls away slightly, pushing up at Rio as he chases her mouth. “Rio...” She pants, hoping he’ll understand what she’s trying to convey because she doesn’t think she can articulate a full sentence right now. 

Rio’s eyes sweep over her face, and he nods a little, rolling off her and pulling her up with him, reaching down and grabbing the flask and her flashlight. He quickly pulls his socks and shoes back on, and Beth toes back into her slippers. 

“C’mon.” He says, sounding a little breathless himself, and Beth feels that familiar rush at how wrecked he is for her. 

Beth follows behind him, quickening her steps to try and keep up with his long strides as he steps off the dock, veering to the left and heading toward the building over there. 

“Wait, I don’t think--” She starts as they get to the door and Rio turns the knob--but the door pops open and Rio turns to her, that maddening smirk on his face as he pushes it open. 

“You are so annoying.” She says, pushing past him to step inside. 

Rio huffs out a laugh behind her, turning on her flashlight, keeping it aimed low at the floor as they look around, moving further into the back of the building. 

“Your first B and E, how do you feel?” Rio teases, turning to look at her and Beth rolls her eyes. 

She feels good. Really good, but she’s not about to tell him that. 

“Just another mark on my growing rap sheet.” She shrugs nonchalantly and Rio shakes his head at her as he pushes open another door in the back and they step into what looks like a break room. 

Rio closes the door behind them as they step further inside. He drops the flask and the flashlight onto the table in the middle of the room and then promptly pulls her to him. Beth let’s out a tiny moan at how good he feels against her and that’s all it takes for Rio to start kissing her again. 

He’s pushing them back through the room, bumping into the table and a few chairs along the way before he turns them and falls back onto the couch along the far wall, bringing her down with him. 

Beth lands on his lap awkwardly and she lets out a breathless little laugh as he rearranges her on his lap, a leg on each side of him. 

“Is this what you did at camp? Sneak out in the middle of the night to meet up with girls and smooth talk your way into their pants?” She asks as he kisses and nips his way down her neck. 

“I mean, they were a lot easier than you, ma.” 

Beth shoves at him, pushing him down into the back cushions, glaring down at him as he grins up at her. 

His hands slide down her hips and around to her ass, pressing her hard into him and Beth closes her eyes, her hands coming up to grasp at his shoulders as she rocks her hips against him, relishing in the strangled groan that emits from him. 

From there, it’s a mess of hands pulling at clothes, until they’re both in just their underwear and Beth leans back to look at him, fingers hesitantly touching skin, his muscles twitching underneath her ministrations making her feel powerful. 

And she doesn’t want to wait any longer, can feel him hard against her, can feel herself getting wetter by the second. 

Before she can think better of it, talk herself out of it, she’s pulling down his boxer briefs just enough to free him, pulling her underwear aside just enough to line him up with her opening, surprising them both with the suddenness of it and Rio cusses low as his hands grasp her hips, fingers digging in almost painfully as he looks down between them, watching her oh so slowly sink down on to him. 

Beth can feel herself tense up as his cock slowly fills her, stretching her in the most painfully pleasurable way, holding her breath until she’s fully sheathed on him, her head falling forward against his shoulder as she lets out her breath in one long low moan. 

Rio’s hands travel over her body, tracing and rubbing random patterns into her skin, biting and sucking at her neck and shoulder until she finally relaxes against him. She lifts her head, shifting back a bit, her breath catching as the movement also shifts him inside of her. 

She grinds down onto him, can’t help herself, her hips moving of their own accord. 

Beth looks down at Rio and she can tell he’s holding himself back, lips pressed tightly together, thin sheen of sweat across his furrowed brow. He’s stopping himself from fucking up into her, claiming her completely, wanting to let her set her own pace. 

Beth leans forward again, close to his ear. She feels herself pink up before the words even leave her mouth, the hot flush setting in deep across her skin, but the alcohol and pleasure coursing through her frees her inhibitions enough to whimper, “Rio. Fuck me, please.” before nipping at his ear. 

Rio lets out a low growl as he surges up, one hand sliding into the hair at the back of her head, fingers twisting it up and yanking back roughly, and she lets out a loud whine as he latches onto her neck. His other arm wraps around her waist, anchoring her to him, locking her in, as he fucks up into her. Beth’s nails dig into his shoulders, clinging to him as she gasps and moans with every upward thrust. 

His hand at her waist is sliding up over her slick skin, deftly popping open her bra clasp and they both part enough for her to slide it off and drop it on the floor, before coming back together, Rio’s mouth hot and wet on her breasts, wrapping his arm back around her waist, his other hand sliding down between them, thumb swiping over her clit. 

And that’s how Beth comes, fast and hard--with Rio’s mouth on her nipple and his thumb pressed to her clit and god, she’s trying hard not to be loud because they shouldn’t be here, but she can’t suppress the loud guttural moan that claws its way out of her throat as she pulsates around him. 

And he at least seems just as consumed by her as she is with him, as he pulls away from her breast to pant against it as he continues to fuck up into her, groaning out a low, husky ‘fuck’, and what she _swears_ is her name, as he comes inside of her moments later. 

Beth slumps heavily against his chest as he collapses back into the couch cushions, nothing but the sound of their heavy breaths filling the air. 

Beth’s hair is sticking to her skin, and she shivers as the cool air settles against it, now that her body is still. Now that’s she’s done working up a sweat. 

She lets out a small giggle, still riding out her high from her orgasm as she fully registers what they’ve just done. 

Rio squeezes her and Beth’s giggle cuts off abruptly as the tiny movement brings her crashing back to reality. 

“Oh _god_...” She whispers, feeling too exposed, too vulnerable, here in his arms right now. Beth can feel him softening inside of her and she straightens up, avoiding eye contact as she awkwardly maneuvers off of him, biting her lip as he slips out of her and she lurches over to the other side of the couch. Rio reaches over and grasps at her chin, jerking her face up so suddenly she gasps. Then he’s pulling her toward him, kissing her harshly, and she can tell he’s not going to let her slip away from him, not going to let her twist her way out of this, distance herself from it. 

After a moment, she melts into it, giving back to it, and his kiss turns less angry, more gentle. 

Beth sighs when they finally pull away, still feeling too shy to make eye contact, but less regretful about what they’d just done. 

They get cleaned up and dressed and Beth can feel the ache and exhaustion pulling at her body. They quietly walk back, shoulders occasionally bumping, fingers grazing against each other, and Beth feels something flutter to life in her chest that she doesn’t think she’s ever felt for anyone, outside of her children. 

Beth clears her throat once they stop outside of her cabin, not sure what she’s supposed to do or say. This all seems like it comes pretty easily to him, but it’s so much harder for her. She’s never experienced this before, never gone through these motions with anyone else. 

Rio reaches out and trails his fingers lightly over the side of her face, gently pushing her hair out of the way, tucking it behind her ear. 

He takes a step into her space and she backs up out of habit, her back hitting the outside wall of the cabin. 

“Hey,” Rio puts a hand on either side of her, caging her in, forcing her to look up at him. He leans down, lips so close to hers she can _feel_ how much she wants him, how much she needs him with every fiber of her being. “Quit runnin’ away from me.” He rasps, and Beth tries to close the distance between them, needs the taste of him on her lips, needs to feel the slip of his against hers, the push and pull that’s so intoxicating she can feel it in her soul, like he’s reaching in and taking hold, claiming ownership deep down inside of her, where she can’t deny him. 

But he pulls back just that little bit so she barely misses him, and she lets out a frustrated little sigh. His eyes are hard, unrelenting, as he stares down at her and she knows what he wants. 

She nods quickly, stretching up again, and he pulls back _again_ , and Beth rocks back on her heels, glaring up at him. 

He cocks an eyebrow at her, wanting more, and Beth blows out a puff of air, rolling her eyes as she finally gives in. The “Okay.” barely leaves her lips before he’s on her, pushing her up against the wall, filling every vacant need she was so desperate for with his mouth, with his hands, with _him_. 

He pulls away suddenly, leaving her breathless and slumped back against the wall. He grins down at her, placing one last soft kiss against her nose before turning and walking away, leaving her whole world spinning. 

\---- 

Beth wakes up the next morning more than a little sore and more than a little hungover. 

They’re leaving camp this afternoon, so everyone has to be up early to pack up and move everything out. 

Beth barely makes it through, Jane’s excitement for the new day and all it brings making Beth feel more exhausted than she already is. 

Beth pulls her hair up into a ponytail and throws some oversized sunglasses on her face before they head outside, Jane running ahead with her class, while Beth drags behind. She’s so focused on the ground and making sure her feet are moving properly over it, that she runs right into a very solid, very hard chest. A set of arms comes out to steady her, and linger a little too long, and Beth closes her eyes as she realizes who it is, without even having to look up. 

“Sorry.” She mumbles under her breath, stepping back, and Rio let’s her go easily enough. Beth keeps her eyes on the ground, feeling herself flush as her mind goes back to last night. 

“You headed to breakfast?” He asks, voice light and easy, and Beth blinks up at him, a little thrown by how conversational he’s apparently deciding to be right now. 

“Uh, yeah. Jane’s already there with her class.” 

“Marcus is too. Think he’s gonna be stickin’ to Jane like glue today, last day an all.” 

“Yeah, Jane was already asking about him this morning.” 

“Yeah, was thinkin’ bout stickin’ to you like glue today, too.” Rio steps closer, and Beth glances around quickly. They seem to be the only ones left outside, everyone else in the dining hall already. 

“Last day and all.” Beth repeats, keeping her tone neutral, trying not to inflict too much emotion into her words. She’s afraid of letting anymore of herself go; the little pieces of her he’s already taken, too often wielded against her like a weapon--a sharp malevolence meant to cut deep ( _You aint nothin’, I don’t need you_ ) or a soft caress meant to disarm completely ( _I think you could be somethin’_ ). 

Rio’s jaw rocks a little as he looks down at her and she knows she’s struck a nerve. He reaches out and plucks her glasses off her face and Beth wishes he hadn’t. It was so much easier to face him with something to hide behind. 

She steels herself, meeting his gaze straight on, daring him to affirm or dispute what she’s said. 

It was easy last night, under the cover of darkness, but out here, in the harsh light of day? 

“What I tell you bout runnin’ away?” He looks irritated and—good. At least she knows it’s affecting him just as much as it is her. 

“I’m not running away from anything. But what happens when we leave here? When we go from being parents on a field trip, back to being...to being drug dealing partners?” She hates the words as soon as they leave her mouth, but takes some satisfaction in throwing his words back in his face. 

“See, that’s the problem with you. You keep thinkin’ those two things gotta be mutually exclusive. They aint. This far in the game and you _still_ aint figured this shit out.” His voice is harsh and Beth flinches at his words. “You can’t keep straddlin’ that line darlin’. You gotta reconcile the two, it don’t work any other way.” 

“Why, because it didn’t work for you?” Beth snaps. She doesn’t know why she’s arguing, she knows he’s right. 

She really hates it when he’s right. 

Rio scrubs his hands over his face, like he’s trying to restrain himself from snapping at her, but he already has. 

“You think you can jus’ slip back into that cookie cutter life o’ yours? You think you can pretend you still who you was before? I’ll tell you right now, that aint gonna work for you, Elizabeth. That aint who you are anymore. It never was. The sooner you realize that, the better.” 

Beth drops her eyes, his words hitting her right in the chest. “I don’t...know how...” She trails off, shaking her head, not sure how to force the words out that she needs to say. 

Rio sighs, hand coming out to tilt her chin up, fingers bumping against it. “You got this, mama. You a boss bitch, member?” 

Beth smiles weakly, opens her mouth to say something, but they both turn as they hear a door bang closed behind them. 

PTA Karen is leaving one of the cabins, looking more than a little ruffled as she adjusts her clothing. She stops in her tracks when she sees the two of them, clocks how close they are. A small vicious smile starts to spread across her face, but then the door to the cabin opens again, this time the principal stepping through, running her fingers through her messy hair, and the smile drops from Karen’s face. She turns her nose up, stomping past them, towards the dining hall. 

They watch as the principal passes them next, smiling and waving as she does and they both wave back. 

“You couldn’t pay me to come back to one o’ these things again.” Rio says and Beth laughs, hand coming up to cover her mouth so the principal doesn’t hear. 

“C’mon mama, I'm starvin’. Got a real workout in last night.” He grins at her and Beth huffs out a laugh as she pushes past him, heading to the dining hall. “Pretty sure _I_ did a majority of the work last night.” 

He falls into step with her as a look of total astonishment crosses over his face. “I’m sorry, _What_?” 

“Oh, _I'm_ sorry, were _you_ on top last night?” 

Beth lets out a little shriek as Rio makes a grab for her and she dodges him. 

“ _Stop_.” She says, tone hushed as her eyes widen, gesturing toward the crowded building they’re about to walk into. 

“We get back home, it’s fair game.” He whispers in her ear, nipping at it quickly before pulling the door open, exaggeratedly gesturing for her to go in first. 

Beth has to remember how to breathe as she thinks about the endless possibilities that come with home.


End file.
